Stamping device



April 21, 1931. l R, M. DUGDALE 1,801,594

STAMPING DEVICE Filed July lO, 1929 Patented Apr. 21, 1931 unirsi) STATES PATENT GFFI'CE RICHARD M. DUGDALE, OF DEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'I0 FARBINGTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, F BOSTON, MASSAGHUSETTS, A CORIORATION QE' MASSACHUSETTS STAMPING DEVICE Application led July 10,

spects similar to the printing device described and claimed in my copending application Serial N o. 359,816 filed May 2, 1929, but embodying several improvements upon my previous invention.

The machines illustrated and described in my .said application each included a casing having an open bottom, a plate holder pivoted at the bottom of the casing to swing from open to closed position against the casing, a roller carriage reciprocable within the casing above the opening and having spaced parallel rollers journaled at the open bottom thereof, an inking ribbon arranged to feed longitudinally beneath the rollers, and an operating handle associated with mechanism housed within the casing for reciprocating the roller carriage and feeding the ribbon along the rollers. These devices are intended to be used in department stores or other retail establishments for printing the names and addresses of customers upon duplicate sales slips, in order to avoid the many mistakes ordinarily resulting from illegible and inaccurate writing of the names and addresses by sales clerks. The printing late bearing the said indicia is in convenlent form to be carried about by the customer and, as suggested in said application and more fully described in another of my copending applications Serial No. 374,715 filed June 29, 1929, the plate is adapted to be used as a means of identifying a customer entitled to credit. In using such apparatus, the printing plate is applied to the pivoted plate holder, and the sales slips, with the usual intervening carbon sheets, are inserted between the printing surface of the plate and the ribbon. The handle is`then operated to move the rollers over the sales slips under suitable pressure.

While the apparatus described in said a plication Serial No. 359,816 is general y satisfactory in use, it is the purpose of the present invention to provide means, such as auxiliary friction rollers, for ensuring 1929. Serial No. 377,114.

rotation of the main rollers, thereby avoiding slipping or skidding of said rollers during reciprocation of the roller carriage; to

improve the construction and operation of the main rollers by forming the respective rollers in individual tubular sections each of which has slight freedom of movement transversely of its shaft relative to the other sections so that the sections may automatically adjust themselves in a vertical direction according to slight irregularities in the parallel rows of raised type on the printing surface of the plate; and more accurately to support the printing plate in proper position on the plate holder.

A recommended embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved device, the front of the casing being removed and certain parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the removed plate holder;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the removed roller carriage assembly;

. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the carriage taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views of the plate holder, taken on lines 5-5 and 6-6 respectively of Fig. 2; and

Fio. 7 is a transverse section through a printing plate suitable for use with the machine.

The casing 11 of the device is open at its lower end and may also have a front opening normally closed by a detachable cover, the cover being removed in Fig. l. The plate holder 12 is pivoted to the casin at 13 to swing downwardly from the closed position of Fig. 1, and may have an upturned extension 10 to facilitate its swinging movement. An inner casing 14 may be welded or otherwise secured to the back of the casing 11, the inner casing having forwardly extending integral flanges 15 serving as ribbon guides, the upper and lower ends of these flanges being bent inwardly as shown. A horizontal guide bar 16 is fixed between the flanges 15, and the U-shaped roller carriage 17 rides over the guide 16, the carriage being slidably mounted on the guide by means of slotted transverse bars 18 underlying the bar 16. The base 19 of an upwardly extending cani member 20 is fastened upon the top of the roller carriage, and the carriage is yieldingly urged to the right (Fig. 1) of the casing by means of a sprinfy 21.

A plunger 22 sliding in a sleeve 23 extends upwardly through the casing and carries a cam roller 24 at its lower end in cooperative relationship with the cani 20. An operative lever 25 pivoted at 26 in a bracket connected to the casing 11 and (piw oted at 27 to the upper projecting en of the plunger 22, provides a convenient handle for depressing the plunger to reciprocate the roller carriage. A transverse pin 28 fixed in the sleeve 23 and passing through a slot 29 in the plungei may be provided to limit the movement of the plunger.

W'hen an ink ribbon is used in the machine, the ribbon R is mounted on reels 30 arranged Within the easing, and extends along the guides 15 and across the bottoni opening of the casing. Suitable actuating mechanism for rotating the ribbon reels as a consequence of the operation `of the plunger 22 and for reversing the direction of rotation may be provided as fully described in my said application Serial No. 359,816. Such mechanism is not essential to the present invention; and it will be understood that the several parts just described are substantially the saine in arrangement and operation as the corresponding elements of the device disclosed in said application.

The improved roller devices mounted between the depending sides of the carriage 17 preferably comprise a series of parallel compressible friction rollers 31 of rubber or other resilient material, said rollers bearing against the bottom surface of the guide bar 16 to insure their rotation when the carriage is reciprocated; and a corresponding series of pressure or main rollers 32 loosely mounted on their. shafts 33 (Fig. 1) beneath the respective auxiliary rollers 31 and bearing against said rollers. Consequently, the frictional pressure of the rotating rollers 31 turns the rollers 32, and the latter rollers are subject to slight vertical movement against the yielding auxiliary rollers in case the printing surface is uneven.

As the printing surface of the recoinmended form of plate usually' has three longitudinal rows of raised characters,lthe pressure rollers are preferably divided into three individual tubular sections, including a central section 32 and end sections 32b (Figs. 3 and 4). Each section may thus accommodate itself to the height of the corresponding row of characters and to any irregularities in their printing surfaces, and each section may be moved radially or tilted axially independently of the other sections by reason of the space between the bore of the section and its shaft.

The improved plate holder comprises a fiat and rigid base having an elevated platforin 34 and a raised plate guide 35 substantially rectangular in shape and bordering a rectangular recess 36 between the outer guide 35 and the platform 34. One side of the guide 35 preferably has a fiange' 37 overhanging the recess and the opposite side of the guide may have an inclined outer edge 38 arranged to ensure proper seating of the printing plate as it is slid onto the holder with one edge received beneath the flange 37 and with its base fitting into the recess 36. A notch 39 may be provided in one edge of the holder to permit ready removal of the plate.

The printing plate P (Fig. T) has a raised central portion 40 provided with three longitudinal rows 41 of raised characters, and. a marginal base 42 bordering a bottom recess 43. When applied to the plate holder, the marginal base 42 lits in the groove 36 with one end frictionally retained beneath the flange 37 and the platform 34 is received in the bottom recess 43. Accordingly the plate is restrained from accidental sliding movement relative to the plate holder, and the raised characters of its printing surface are supported beneath the path of movement of the pressure rollers 32 when the holder is held closed against the casing as b resting the device upon a table or other suitable support.

The sales slips or other sheets to be printed are positioned upon the printing plate before elosin the plate holder, and printing is effected y depressing the handle to cause the rollers to move back and forth across the sheets or u on the intervening ink ribbon R or a suitab e carbon sheet. Ordinarily one complete reciprocation of the roller carriage will suilice to print the sheet or sheets, it being understood that the upper sheet is printed by the ink ribbon or carbon and that any reasonable number of underlying sheets may be printed by inserting carbon sheets therebetween in the usual manner. By locating the printing late on the side of the sheets opposite the 1n ribbon (or a topmost carbon sheet), the plate contacts with the surface of the bottommost printed sheet and is therefore not soiled in use, so that it may be carried in a purse without soiling the hands or the purse contents.

I claim:

1. A printing device of the class described, comprising a printing plate holder. a carriage movable along the plate holder and having a roller for progressively pressing successive portions of intervening sheets against the printing plate, a friction meniber bearing against said roller to cause rotation of the roller upon movement of the carriage, and means for conjointly moving the carriage and compressingthe s eets between said roller and said plate holder.

2. A printing device of the class described, comprising a lprinting plate holder, a carriage movable along the plate holder and having a roller for progressively pressing successive portions of intervening sheets against the printing plate, a yielding member acting upon said roller, and means for conjointly moving the carriage and compressing the sheets between said roller and said plate holder, said roller being movable radially and axially toward the yielding member to allow for irregularities in the printing plate.

3. A printing device of the class described, comprising a printing plate holder, a carriage movable along the plate holder and having a roller for progressively pressing successive portions of intervening sheets against the printing plate, a yielding member bearing against said roller, and means for conjointly moving the carriage and compressing the sheets between said roller and said plate holder, said roller comprising a plurality of tubular sections, each section being independently movable toward the yielding member to allow for irregularities in parallel rows of the printing plate type.

4. A printing device of the class described, comprising a printing plate holder, a carriage movable along the plate holder and having a transverse roller shaft, a sectional roller for progressively pressing successive portions of intervening sheets against the printing plate, said roller including tubular sections loosely mounted on said shaft for independent movement transversely of the shaft, means for conjointly moving the carriage and compressing the sheets between said roller and said plate holder, the respective roller sections being arranged t'o follow correspondingrows of type on the grinting plate, and means yieldingly urging t 1e roller sections toward said plate holder.

5. A printing device of the class described, comprising a printing plate holder, a carriage movable along .the plate holder and having a transverse roller shaft, a se'ctional roller for progressively pressing successive portions of intervening sheets against the printing plate, said roller including tubular sections loosely mounted on said shaft for independent movement transversely of the shaft, means for conjointly moving the carriage and compressing the sheets between said roller and said plate holder, the respective roller sections being arranged to followl corresponding rows of type on the printing plate, and means yieldingly urging the roller sections toward said plate holder, said Ineans comprising a compressible friction roller bearing against the roller sections and rotatable upon movement of the carriage,

for causing rotation of said roller sections.

6. A printing device of the class described, comprising a printing plate holder, a carriage guide, a carriage movable along the guide, a compressible friction roller pivoted to the carriage and bearing against said guide so that said roller is rotated upon movement of the carriage, a pressure roller pivoted to the carriage and bearing against the friction roller to cause its rotation as a consequence of said movement, so that the pressure roller is rolled progressively over successive portions of sheets interposed between the roller and the printing plate, and means for conjointly moving t e carriage and compressing the sheets between sald roller and said plate holder, the pressure roller being movable away from the printing plate against the compressible roller to allow for irregularities in the printing plate.

'7. A printing device of the class described, comprisingla printing plate holder, a carriage guide, 'a carriage movable along the guide, a friction roller pivoted to the carriage and bearing against said guide so that said roller is rotated u on movement of the carriage, a pressure ro ler pivoted to the carriage and bearing against the friction roller to cause its rotation as a consequence of ysaid movement,'so that the pressure roller is rolled progressively over successive portions of sheets interposed between the roller and the printing plate, and means for conjointly moving the carriage and compressing the sheets between said pressure roller and said plate holder. l

8. A printing device of the class described, comprising a printing plate holder,

a carriage guide, a carriage movable along the guide, a friction ,roller pivoted to the carriage and bearing against said guide so that said roller is rotated upon movement of the carriage, a pressure roller pivoted to the carriage and bearing against the friction roller to cause its rotation as a consequence of said movement, so that the pressure roller is rolled progressively over successive portions of sheets interposed between the roller and the printing plate.

9. A printing device comprising a plate holder for detachably receiving an individual printing plate having lines of raised type characters thereon, rolling pres-sure means disposed to press intervening sheets against the plate, said rolling pressure means being adjustably mounted to conform simultaneously to the respective heights of a plurality of lines of type characters, and means for conjointly moving the rolling pressure means lengthwise of the lines of type characters and applying pressure through said rolling pressure means to the said intervening sheets.

lO. A printing device for printing names and addresses or other indicia on sales slips or the like comprising an individual printing late adapted to print upon the slip and iaving thereon a plurality of lines of projecting type characters, and means for simultaneously applying printing pressure to parts of said slip overlying different heights 0f lin` of type characters by progression lengthwise of the said lines of characters.

11. A rinting device comprising means for detaclhably retaining in printing position an individual printing' plate having lines of raised type characters thereon, pressure means for applying rolling pressure to la sheet to be printed by said plate, progres sively lengthwise of said lines of characters, and means for comfpensating, during this pressure operation, or differences in eective height between the lines of type charn acters on the plate.

12. A printing device for printing naines and addresses or other indicia on sales slips or the like comprising an individual rintf ing plate having thereon a plurality o lines of rejecting type characters, a plurality of rol er elements, corresponding to the .ines of type characters7 means for mounting the roller element-s individually to conform to irregularities of the respective lines of type characters, and means for conjointly moving said roller elements lengthwise of the respective lines of type characters and pressing the roller elements against intervening sheets to be printed.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 29th day of June, 1929.

R. M. DUGDALE. 

